The present invention relates to a portable apparatus, such as a personal computer and a word processor, wherein a display device is coupled to a housing by means of a hinge mechanism, so as to permit the display device to be opened or closed with reference to the housing, and, more particularly, to a construction which protects a cable connecting the display device and housing together.
In recent years, various portable personal computers and word processors have come to be commercially available. In many of the apparatuses of this kind, a display device is coupled to a housing by means of a hinge mechanism, so as to permit the display device to be opened or closed. FIG. 1 illustrates how the housing and display device of a conventional portable apparatus are connected together by a cable. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional portable apparatus comprises keyboard 11 and floppy disk drive unit 12, independently of housing 10. Housing 10 contains printed circuit boards, on which a CPU, a memory, various controllers, etc. are mounted. Display device 30 is coupled to housing 10 by means of hinge mechanism 20 in such a manner that display device 30 can be opened or closed with reference to housing 10. The printed circuit boards, located in housing 10, are electrically connected to display device by use of cable 40, which passes through hinge mechanism 20.
When the above portable apparatus is used, display device 30 is raised such that its display screen faces the operator, by permitting hinge mechanism 20 to rotate, as indicated by the two-dot chain lines in FIG. 1. By raising display device 30 in this manner, the operator can operate keyboard 11 while looking at the display screen of display device 30. When the portable apparatus is not used, display device 30 is closed, with hinge mechanism rotated, such that display device 30 is laid over keyboard 11. Accordingly, the portable apparatus is compact in size. It should be noted that display device 30 of this type of portable apparatus is frequently opened or closed by the operator.
As mentioned above, cable 40, which electrically connects housing 10 and display device 30 together, passes through hinge mechanism 20. When display device 30 is opened or closed, therefore, cable 40 moves right and left within hinge mechanism 20, and is repeatedly bent at end portion 20a of hinge mechanism 20. Therefore, the conventional portable apparatus is faced with problems, in that cable 40 is worn away or is clamped between display device 30 and end portion 20a of hinge mechanism 20.